Wedge-type clamp and carrier bar



1943- J. P. RATIGAN 2,328,167

WEDGE-TYPE CLAMP AND CARRIER BAR Filed Sept. 20, 1941 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r/ZMEs RAT/641v,

INVENTOR My. 1nvention a champ vforireciproeating rods and has particularireference lto a wedge+type clamp which'imay be employed either Asia, carrier-ham .bms a on wellwpump ing installations.

It is the present practiceito Lefiect the connection gbetween the oscillating walking beam and" the polished'rod of.an oiluwell pumpspacing clamp:

installation by means'of fa ahorsehead sling.

which usually comprises azpair of rods 'or'ica;

bles depending from theg'endpot the iwalkmg beam which are pivotally :connected to trim: nion portions of a carrier "bar attachedsto' polishedirodw, r l While ltheipresent practice is toiemploy a ,car 1 -r1er bar which loosely-encircles the polishedjodj and so requiresthe employment of sseparster polished; rod. grip disposed above" the vcarrier bar, it1has also been suggested that the carrier bar andggripxbeg combined"in1a single structure; [I

device islhalanced tbpgsite Iof It a stilllfiirtherlobiect of jmylinventioiijto provide a cla m: of the nhiara'cter' preyiously'xre.-

ferried. to in which means Lis employed .191 :per-

manently securingithe weaigingamembers' steal-the device 1' while permitting movement iof such members .to enecit la clamping; and an u'ncihmxmv ing operation, thereby) avoiding the ndangefiof the wedging imemhersbeing 10st r It is 1 an additional twee; ofJ-my invention to Provide ;a device; of 1' the tcharacter set vforth in V the precedingparagraphsimwhiqhia self-equa have; for, example, disclosedlin *my copending applicationyiserial Nos 411,043., filed :september 16,;11941, now Patent No.2,296,182,.egrantedilseptember 15, 1942, and entitled Clamp itypel carrier. bar, ,a veryjpractical formiof suchs. combination device... :However, no one prior to this present invention has suggested -employing .suchxa Zoom;-

bination device in whichmav. wedge-type cl's u'np mechanism is usedvito: secure-the device to the v polished rod, although wedge-type clamps def signed "for other uses are well known. andx despite :theii act that it, has :been long't'frecogniz'ed that wedge type clamps ti n which is superior to the holtecl .typeszot clamps; This is perhapspidue :to :the *difficulty -01 providing a device which is properlybalanced. T I Clamp-type carrier bars must :be ifhalanced;

bolted clamps; f

izing gripping "means employed. to engage the polished rod,v the 1 gi'ippingt'; means being" actuate ed I'by ajwedgin'g mechanism.

" It is'aiso an' object ofrmyj invention to provide a device ot thecharacter herbinbe fore r'effenred to which. is-gof strong :and 111182611 construction affording? a grippon? the polished rlod pwhichris equal to or greaten'thsn that obtainable with Other objects "and adv ntegesl oftni ysiinven tion' will :beanparentffroni .a-f$tndy. ,ofathejoll olw- V 'ing specificatiorisQneddain connection .withr'the.

l accompanying 1 drawings; wherein r Fig-.42 'isaa top plan viewyof thetdeviee ilhis.

v l 'isa a t"persp ctive?view illustratmgq the construction of thepzief'eri-edffotni :of Qtion and" the manner infnrhicfiitisisemployed whenlxfun'ctioning :asE- a combined :pjoiis'hd rod my inven- "Fig. Allis a; ho'tizon'tal "sectional YieW taken ,mmsgthe axis of the=trunnions= mustuapaiss through the axis of i the polished; rod .and the weight of -thedevice shonld also' hezuniformly distributed ,onopposite sides .fof' thei-trunnion axis. If the device :iSnnbalancedithe pumping operation imposes undesired bending stresses. on thepolished rod resultingin undueiwear oftthe stufiing boxand early failure .of .the polished, rod

throughlwear jand :iatigue. l i

It;is, therefore, :an objectof my invention" to provide a ;cla. m p device which "may servefns a.

combined polished rod grip and :carrier haiit atnd Whioh employs afiwedge=type clampingmechathe device being so'tdesigned that th eTtmnn rs tslthe "ax s o atheepfilished rod. 3 lt is-elso an object ofi my-invention tofipifovide' salami; of the; character "set: forth Finthe preceding paragraph in whichsthe weight of the Fig; 3 15 vertical sectional view met substantially along the Imam-+111 of Eig. ;2;li"

snbstavntiall y@aJOnQithe mine-I ium or 1 and illustrating, the relative positions o f ithe' ports mg thef manne'r in which the psr-tmmay be mQvedtopOSitioDS permitting V v polishedirodi fi omigthef clamp ori the attachmerr ov'srbr the nient 'oflthewclamp tolthe' pdlished' rod.

Referring to 1 the driwing s' -I hove illustrated well pumping instdllation to efiect aldrivin'guconi 'nectlon 'betweensthei :walking' tbeam and? the :YpoL

dished rod. .In Fig.i1:ozsectionx'otiithe'polishd ma lisiidentifledxbs lrererence 'charaote'r iz i'and this polished rod the:lcarrierlbarll iisisecured.

-The .carrien'cbar I If includes trunnion portions?! in Figs:

andj l which extend laterally outward fromthe medium of eye members 'i' and 8.-'Th e horsehead sling cables and-6 extend upwardlyinto connection with the walking beam (not shown) 7 so that the vertical reciprocation of the cables 7 band 6 serves to likewise reciprocate thepolished rod 2.

The carrier bar. l prefer-ablyicomprisesabcdy portion 9 which is preferably of a'roughlyrecv tangular. shape'as viewed. both in plan and'in elevation. The-body member 9 is provided with; Ia vertically extending suificient to loosely receive the polished'rodE, the

. innermost end of the slot 9 being providedwith;

slot H3 having a width a seating surface H (see Fig. 5) having a curvaa tureclosely conforming tothe curvature of thepolished rod 2 and providing an abutment against which the polished rod 2 may be clamped.

The securing of the body member 9 to the i2 comprises block-like members; th inner face of which is groovcd as indicated atrl3 to'match up with the seating surfac I l and'in association "polished rod 2 and afford a pivotal connection v to horsehead sling cables 5 and .6 through the tendin extended, thepin 29 being suitably permanently securedto the body 9 as by welding or riveting. By forming the opening 28 of a size materially larger than the siZeOf the pin 29,a considerable latitude of movement is afiorded the correspond. ing members I2, thus permitting these members] to assume that position in which their red engaging surfaces [3 are properly. aligneda'nd seated upon the face of therod; -When clamping pressure,isexerted onthe'rod .2 by driving the wedge members l6 inwardly, distortion of the .rodis-avoided because of the provision which is polishedrocl is effected by mea ns of a pair of f gripping elements'IZ, one of which isillust'rated 4a and 5. Each of the gripping elements 7 therewith to encircle -thelpolished rod 2. The

opposite face of the member I 2. preferably comprises a plane surface 14 against which one side l5 of a tapered v'vedging member 15 may bear.

A separate wedging, member. 16 .is emp yed. for

eachof the gripping elen'zents'lZ and each of the members I 6 are passedlaterally through the body portion 9 of the devicein such direction as to extend across the rod receiving slotld'thejbody 9 being laterally slotted as indicated at Hand [8 in :Figs. 1. and 5. to receive the wedgingmembers 18.. The'slotsfor the fwe'dging members defineoutwardly positionedv and inwardly facing pressure surfaces l 9 and :28 adapted to: engage the edge 2| of the wedging' members dispos'ed I opposite the edge surfaces 15.

- It Will benotedgthat asthe wedging mama-s 1 l6 are moved inwardly'orfromthe position il1us-. trated in Fig. 5 tothatillustrated in Fig; 4',

, the wedging actionproduced' by the tapered sides 1'5 and ZIaagainst'Rthe surfaces-i4, [Brand 20wi1l serve-to f urge the Egri'pping member i2 toward thep'olished rod 2' with a .tremendousnforce.

' The wedging members I6 I are preferably per- 1y extending grooves 22 whichare formed in one surface of the members-18. ThegrooVesEZ receive. projections. 23 ;which are formed on, the body member 9 and extend into'the-slots l;7 i8.

madeto allow the gripping members E2 to move to such positions as to equalize theload on all of the engaged surfaces of the polished rod.

It'is preferred that the swinging movement 'of vthegripping"members l6 which is permitted by the pivotal connection of these members to the body member 9 be limited substantially to the positions. illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, the position illustrated in Fig. 5 being that which .will'just permit the polished rod 12' to be passed'inwar'dly along the slot iii. Forthis purpose a projection is formed on the tailpiece 26; the projectionSO being of, such form and shape .a's'to engage .one of the vertical surfaces 3] defined by the slotting of; the body [member 9 when the member 12 is moved to the position illustrated in'Fig..4. It will .'manentlyassociated'with the body member 9 and 1 are for this purpose provided with .longitudinal- -.Injmanufacturing the device, the groove 22 :is'

' preferably extendedecom'pletelyinto one end of the Wedgingmember such as the innermost end" indicated by reference character 2a. This permits thewedgi'ng member to be inserted intothe slot ll-l8 to a position such as that, i11ustrated in Fig. 4. .Thereafter the end of the groove 22 is weldedqfull as by means of a. weld 25. This weld then prevents subsequent disassociation of the wedging memberfrom the rest of the device since outward movement'of the :wedging member is. arrested byengagement of the projection 23with the Weld 25., o a

Eachof the gripping members-i2 is preferably and each of the'members l2, therefore, includes a curved tailpiece which is enlarged'asindifcated at '21 'andprovided: with a vertically exhave beennoted that the slots l'il8 which are provided for the wedging members E5 are made with a. sufficient lateral scope to notonly receive the wedging. members; If), but'to provide space L also for housing the gripping members. lz and the'pivotal connections therefor comprising the tailpiece. 26 and pivot pin 29.

While I have described the wedge-type clamping mechanism which is employed'on the carrier bar l as includinga pair of wedging members IG'and acorresponding pair ofv the gripping elements- !2," it will be understood; that the device may; if desired, be provided with'but a single. wedging: member and a single gripping member or, conversely, if it is desired to exert extremely i large clamping forces on the polished rod L the device may include more than two of the Wedging members and gripping elements." 7

. The trunnion portions 3an'd fl'previously referred to arepreferably: formed integrally with the body member 9 and are'so positioned on'the body member Qthat' their longitudinal'axes will extend at'rightanglesto and intersect the axis of the polished rod 2 when the polished rod 2 is seated in its seat H These trunnions' arepref erably'of substantially circular cross section pro- 7 7' viding .for the reception into theeye members I and 8 and-'may also be provided with laterally extending. apertures 32 into which keeper pins 33 maybe insertedafter'the'trunnions are placed in the eye members I and'8, the keeper pins s'erv ing topreventxinadvertent removal-of the trun- Y nion members from the eye members. -Addition-.

' al strength may bebuilt into the device by em likewise permanently associated with the device in the case of the eye member 8 by asuitable shoulder or abutment '36 which is formed integrally. with the trunnion member' and which surrounds the same. 7 1: y

opening 2 8't hroughwhich a pin 2! is V wedges home,

TRei'erence' has fbeen made hereinbei'ore to the desirability of imaintaining a uniform 'distribu tionof the vveightxitv the device on :opposite sides of theaxisorthe trunnion members 3; and 4; I

have attained'this'obj'ect by extending. the-slot ID-in a direction iwhichis nearly parallelito the axisof the trunnions Sands, theislot. t0 being.

disposed at aisuflicientangleto extend outwardly its Ewidth in its entire length; L Reference to Fig.

awhile I-have-'descr"lbed thepreferred embodimerit of my invention as being adapted'particularly, for use asa combinedpolished rod gripand' carrier bar, attention isxdirected to the fact that if; desired the trunnion portions 3 and '4 maybe omitted, in which event the device mayfbeJZ'employed as a spacer clamp. In oil well pumping 4 practice 1 such clamps are secured to the the pol-- ished rod ina position engaging the stuffing box so that the entire weight-ofthe suckerrod string. which is attached to tthe polished rod-may; be"

supported thereby while the horseheadhcdnnection to the upper end :of the polished :rod sisedi'sassociated asfor repairsor for the purposesof changing thelocationrof the carrier barto change thelimitslof thepump stroke? in-om the trunnioniaxistla distance equal toihalf L'Ilhedevice vwhich I have: illustrated herein may a so b fllsed; as a spacing/clamp, in vv hich event the-trunnion portions *3 and! serve as convenient handles by-which the .device "may be lifted and placed around the polished rod. i

p I y In attachingthe 'clanipdevice.of mytinvention to the polishedlrod thetparts are first moved to the positions illustrated in-Fig; r5 and the device issoinoved asto cause the polished rod Zto pass lnwar,dly. along the slotglfl and be seated against the polished nod vs'eatjllu. =Thereafter the gripping members 12 are swungffrom ,thepositions illustratedfin Fig. 5 toithe positions illustrated :in

Fig, 4, whereupon the wedsin imembersttt will be moved inwardly from their Fig. 5 DOSItiOIIFtOyf their Fig. 4 position. Thereafterithe wedgesmay" mer on their end faces 31. i a

e tightened asbystriking thesame with ahamf It will be appreciated-thatbyrnaking the taper "1 on the wedging faces l5 and 2-! of a slight angularity tremendous clamping forces may be, deyeloped Without requiring excessively violent illustrated in Fig. l Willi -when secured to a standard polishedrod byarernploying a hammer nqn theavier than-three poundspfor driving the" stand a-pull of at least 53,000

pounds.

V V {The device may be readily-removed from the. polished rod by reversing the above described operation, the wedges l fi being V preliminarily loosened by striking the inner ends with a hammer. ",Eroin the, foregoing it will be observed that I have provided a=novel clamprior reciprocating rodswhichmay be used either asa spacing clamp ,barjgas desired. i i

Attention is alsodi'rected 'to mettiiatthe' provision of the. self iequalizing gripping elements l2 preventsinjury: tot-the polished rodtr'esulting 7 either from the applicationof non-uniformly dis with-the surface of the polished; ma, i l

It will be notedthatall ofht'hemovable parts 7 tor-1 t e] device'a e pe a en l asso iaedwwitht "device sojjthat itt is impossible for the device of 15 m inv t on to b m in perat e. or ii thr h h inad t less e edgi .members or :theg gripping elements.

I While I have-rshown andsdescribed pro} ferred embodimentt'of my-invention, I do not desire to belimited abyte the details of con} l. Ina clarfnpffor attachment" :igllpfilllgiiil tmbg'l "having a rod engagin surface and an opposite surface so directed as to extend -trainsverseiyj ofsaid slot whensa' .ijod engaging j surface isfengagedwith said rod atapereo wedg ing member supported on said body member for movement transversely jof saidr-slo-t with j one 'wedging surface engagingjsaid oppositesurfa c'ee f ,7 of said gripping member; and rn'eans 'oir'sardbody otherwedgmg surfac member 'forengaging the of said; wedging member;

Irr-a' clamp for-atta-chment to ayrjodft-he combinationofz a body member having-a redere; ceiving slot extending into one side thereofand' defining at its innermost end a seatingsurface conforming in contour to the surface contour of said rod; a gripping' memberpivotally supported on said body member for movement from a-positio'n f'away from said slot toa position extending thereacross," said'grip'ping meniber {having a rod engaging-surface contoured to conform to the surfacebcontour of said rod and having an oppositehsunface so directed as to 'extend acr'oss said t blows -t bestruck. -I have, for example. dis-t coveredbyi test that a cla'mp of the character;

slot when said rodfiengaging surface is engaged with said rod; aJtapered wedging member supported on'saidzbodymember forimovement transversely of said slot with one wedgingi surface engaging said opposite surface oftsaid-grippin'g v 1 member; and means .onsaidbody memberfor :engaging the otheiawedging surface of saidiwedgingfrnember. 1

3..In' a clamp combination of a body, member having a rod receiving slot-extending into one sidethe'reof; a

' gripping member mountedfon said 'bod member or as a combinedhpolishedurodgripand carrier Attentlonls directed tetheract that y invenhaving" a rod engaging surface and an opposite surfaceflso directedas toiextend transverselyof 5 said slot ,when said rod engagin xsurface .is ent gaged with said rod; pivot means 'onqsaid body a member; means on said gripping member defining an opening for receiving said pivot meansto mount said gripping member on said body .mem-

her for pivotal movement from .a position away i from saidslot to a position extendingthereacross,

saidopenin'g being sufiiciently large to loosely greiceivegsaid pivot-wmeans and permit limited I gtranslatory movement. of said gripping member :str uctionshown' or describedlherein, exceptas' binationfof a-body member havii'ig arod re'ceiv T iiig 'js lot'extending into 'onelsidef, tnerenta grip-'7 ping inernbe'r pivotally'simi brted onsaid bo y finem bertior move ent, romajpositi new st am. "said slot te position extending th eaeross, 1 said i attachment to a rodigthc. I

be reciprocated by an oscillating power means,

the combination of: a body member having a rod receiving slot extending into oneside thereof; suspension means on said body member for connecting said body member to said oscillating power means, the depth of said slot being such that the axis of a rod engaging the bottom thereof will intersect the axis of said suspension means; a gripping member mounted on said body memberhaving a rod engaging surface and i an opposite surface so directed as to extend transversely of said slot when said rod engaging surface is engaged with said rod; pivot means on said body member; means on said gripping mem+ ber defining anopening for receiving said pivot means to mount said gripping member onsaid body member for pivotal movement from a position away from said slot to a position extending thereacross, said opening being sufliciently large to loosely receive said pivot means and permit limited translatory movement of said gripping member toward and away from said rod; and

'wedging means carried by said body member and engageable with said opposite surface of said gripping member to forcibly move said gripping member toward said rod. l

15. In a clamp for attachment to a rod to be reciprocated by an oscillating power means, the

combination of: a body member having a slot extended thereinto from one side for receiving said rod; suspension means on said body memher for connecting said body member to said oscillating power means, the depth of said slot being such that the axis of a rod engaging the bottom thereof will intersect the axis of said suspension means; a wedging means; and mounting means permanently securing said wedging means to said body member, said mounting means being so constructed and arranged as topermit limited movement of said wedging means from a position extendingacross said slot and locking said rod therein to a position away from said slot permitting movement of said rod therefrom.

i JAMES P. RATIGAN. 

